Govt urged to delay horticulture pay changes

The organisation representing Australian vegetable growers wants the Federal Government to delay introducing the new horticulture industry pay rates.

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission launched the new Horticulture Industry Award on January 1 this year.

The Aus-Veg chief executive, Richard Mulcahy, says the introduction should be postponed to July because growers have not had enough time to learn about it.

"People will find it very difficult to comply with the new award because they simply don't understand it," he said.

"Even the employer organisations such as ourselves need time to analyse, express these things in words that people can understand, and give practical advice to growers so they know what they should or should not be doing in their operations."